Keepers have been left heartbroken after taking the tough decision to euthanise a poorly lion.

Sixteen-year-old Jabir, who enjoyed seven happy years at Howletts Wild Animal Park, was put down due to chronic back issues which sparked a deterioration in his movement.

Vet teams and keepers at the Canterbury park had been managing his condition through medication but the problem escalated this week.

Therefore, the decision to ease his suffering and gently put Jabir to sleep was made.

Head of carnivores at Howletts, Liam Shepheard, said: "Jabir came to us in 2012 and he has been a real joy for anyone lucky enough to work with or have the pleasure of watching him over the years.

"He had a special bond with Layla, our lioness, both visitors and staff will have fond memories of them both sitting up high on their favourite ramp together watching everything go by.

"Jabir loved to interact with any enrichment that his keepers made for him and was full of attitude whenever food was involved."

Jabir was a barbary lion, a subspecies of big cat which has been extinct from the wild since the 1940s.

Read more: All the latest news from Canterbury